The Blind Girl Sees by Amber Needham 2022

 2023.7.18: bk.psy/schiz/Amber Needham 2022`The Blind Girl Sees:

Amber Needham 2022`The Blind Girl Sees

https://amzn.to/3DoQDCY

5-star/informative and inspiring:

low-dose aspirin seems good for eyes except with vitamins

2023.3.2: web.health/diet/aspirin/blindness/

low-dose aspirin seems good for eyes except with vitamins:

summary:

. there are some studies that seemed to show

that aspirin increased your risk of blindness;

but the best type of study (randomized trials)

showed they actually reduced the risk of blindness

unless you happen to be the user of multivitamins.

. one study showed that only people with good genes

 may benefit from a good diet;

but you should be safe from AMD blindness if you

limit both omega-6 vegetable oils and your glycemic load.

https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C3&q=omega-6+%2C+amd+blindness

Ophthalmology. 2019

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6875604/

The association of aspirin use with

age-related macular degeneration progression 

in the Age-Related Eye Disease Studies: AREDS2 Report No. 20.

. there are 2 randomized clinical trials:

Arch Ophthalmol. 2001: 

Age-related maculopathy in a randomized trial of low-dose aspirin among US physicians. 

Ophthalmology. 2009:

Low-dose aspirin and medical record-confirmed age-related macular degeneration in a randomized trial of women. 

. using 100mg aspirin every other day

slightly reduced your risk of AMD

yet increased your risk if you used certain multivitamin supplements.

"Among current nonusers of multivitamins, 

those in the aspirin group had a statistically-significant

32% reduced risk of AMD (HR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.49−0.95) 

whereas among current users of multivitamins, 

there was a nonsignificant 14% increased risk of AMD 

in the aspirin group (HR, 1.14; 95% CI, 0.76−1.70)"

[ Ophthalmology. 2009

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19815293/

Low-Dose Aspirin and Medical Record Confirmed

Age-related Macular Degeneration in a Randomized Trial of Women;

William G. Christen, Sc.D, et al.]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2787838/

"men assigned to alternate-day low-dose aspirin (325 mg) 

had a statistically non-significant 

22% reduced risk of visually-significant AMD 

during a five year treatment period."

. placebo terminated early due to aspirin causing

a 44% reduced risk of first myocardial infarction.

[ Arch Ophthalmol. 2001

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11483080/

Age-related maculopathy in a randomized trial of

low-dose aspirin among US physicians;

W G Christen et al.]

"In AREDS, both aMedi[Mediterranean-type diet] and its fish component

interacted with CFH rs10922109 for late AMD

(P = 0.01 and P = 0.0005, respectively); 

higher aMedi and fish intake were each associated with 

decreased risk of AMD only in participants with protective alleles. 

Closer adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet 

was associated with lower risk of progression to late AMD and to large drusen. 

The signal was greater for GA than neovascular AMD. 

Fish intake contributed to this protective association. 

CFH genotype strongly influenced these relationships. 

Hazard ratios (HRs) for progression in aMedi tertile 3 versus 1 

were 0.78 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.71-0.85, P < 0.0001) 

for late AMD, 0.71 (0.63-0.80, P < 0.0001) for GA, 

and 0.84 (0.75-0.95, P = 0.005) for neovascular AMD. 

For fish consumption, HRs for late AMD in quartile 4 versus 1 were

0.69 (0.58-0.82, P < 0.0001; AREDS) and 

0.92 (0.78-1.07, P = 0.28; AREDS2). 

. the HR for progression to large drusen in aMedi tertile 3 versus 1 was 

0.79 (0.68-0.93, P = 0.004)."

[ Ophthalmology. 2020

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32348832/

Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Progression to

Late Age-Related Macular Degeneration 

in the Age-Related Eye Disease Studies 1 and 2;

Tiarnán D Keenan, et al;

Age-Related Eye Disease Studies (AREDS) 1 and 2 Research Groups.]

Dr. Barry Sears 2002`The Omega Rx Zone:[ad]
The Miracle of the New High-Dose Fish Oil

The Mediterranean Zone: [ad] 
Unleash the Power of the World's Healthiest Diet for Superior Weight Loss, Health, and Longevity Hardcover – 2014 by Dr. Barry Sears (Author)

 

metformin for preventing blindness #amd #health #blindness #metformin

2023.1.22: news.health/diet/blindness/amd/metformin:

. if your blood sugar is borderline high,

then you might be a candidate for taking metformin;

that drug is now known to reduce the risk of blindness

by inhibiting retina death (geographic atrophy)

and by inhibiting intraocular neovascularization (wet AMD).

Int J Ophthalmol. 2021 Aug:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34414094/

Newly-found functions of metformin 

for the prevention and treatment of age-related macular degeneration;

Kuan-Rong Dang, Tong Wu, Yan-Nian Hui, Hong-Jun Du.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8342286/

lowering vegf helps #amd? several herbs lower vegf #health #diet

 22.6.6: web.health/diet/blindness/amd/

lowering vegf helps amd? several herbs lower vegf:

summary:

. several methods of cancer treatment

are anti-angiogenic: they work by

stopping new blood vessel growth.

. one thing that cancers and amd blindness

have in common, is excess production of vegf

(vascular endothelial growth factor)

that causes the rapid growth of blood vessels

that tend to be leaky and result in edema.

. for wet amd (age-related macular degeneration

with high vegf that results in leaks and edema)

the only anti-vegf treatments have been injections

that are very expensive and can be painful.

. several herb are known to lower vegf,

and I wondered if taking them orally

could lower vegf in the eye.

more orange yolk means less AMD blindness

2022.5.23: health/diet/egg/blindness/
more orange yolk means less AMD blindness:

summary:

. a yolk that is more orange (than yellow)

is likely to have more lutein and zeaxanthin

that reduces the risk of AMD blindness.

. organic eggs have rules about

the coloring additives added to chicken feed.

. if you are not certain about the quality

of the coloring in your egg,

you can supplement with zeaxanthin and lutein.

[eg, MacuGuard® Ocular Support with Saffron:

https://www.lifeextension.com/vitamins-supplements/item01992/macuguard-ocular-support-with-saffron

10 mg free lutein, 

4 mg meso-zeaxanthin & trans-zeaxanthin.]

. taking the supplement with yolk

might increase its bioavailability

because MacuGuard claims to use Phospholipids

in order to enhance lutein absorption,

and egg yolk contains Phospholipids.

[ Nutrients. 2015

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4425170/

Egg Phospholipids and Cardiovascular Health.

Christopher N. Blesso]

chronic illness increased after oils of soy, grain, and seeds added to diet

 2022.3.9: health/diet/omega-6/

chronic illness increased after oils of soy, grain, and seeds added to diet:

Dr. Chris Knobbe warns us that we are wrong about

omega-6 oil being healthy at higher doses.

AncestryFoundation 2021

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKR1ZdHXXzo

Omega-6 Apocalypse 2 (AHS21)

Catherine Shanahan M.D. 2018: [ad]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G1J7WEU/ref=nosim?tag=americiu-20

Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food. 

early #AMD reversal with high-dose fish oil #med #blindness

2.12: med/amd/fisho
2.13: summary:
. AMD is a major source of blindness;
studies show that in its early stages,
it can be reversed with fish oil;
and that a key marker of healing
is there being nearly as much EPA
as the body has of AA;
fish oil supplements vary in EPA;
eg, le caps have 0.35g of EPA;
along with EPA from fish oil,
you also need to lower AA levels:
keep insulin low (avoid grains and sugars);
limit omega-6 oils and most of all
be wary of AA in fatty animal products,
especially eggs and chicken.
if you get all your fish oil from fish meat
you also get some AA along with
dioxins, PCB's and mercury].
. AMD reversal was indicated by
the ability to read more letters
on a chart with increasingly smaller letters:
8 more letters at aa/epa ratio of 2-2.7;
[from perhaps 4 le caps per day]
15 letters at aa/epa ratio of 1.1-1.6
[from perhaps 8-12 le caps].
. the study applied the oil in 2 doses.
. rancid fish oil can do more harm than good
so it's important to pick a brand
that is 3rd-party tested for low rancidity
and also has powerful antioxidants
such as rosemary or olive extract.
. when taking high-dose fish oil
you should add more antioxidants,
and also ensure you get some GLA
that is blocked by high-dose DHA
(oats are a source of GLA).

omega-3 medicinal effects

10.21: web.health/diet/omega-3/medicinal effects:
12.27: summary:
. fish oil has long-chained omega-3
that is very valuable for reducing disease;
you can make some yourself with
plant-based omega-3, but not much.
. plant-based omega-3 was not helpful for
reducing the risk of circulation disorders
yet one study showed it reduced the risk of
macular degeneration.
. some studies showed that supplements did not help
reduce risk of cerebrovascular disease,
only a diet of whole fish helped.
. one study showed high-dose supplements
did help with macular degeneration,
while another study showed that
low dose supplements did not help.
. fish is a source of mercury, PCB's and dioxins;
fish oil supplements that are 3rd-party tested
may help with heart disease, cancer,
arthritis, macular degeneration
and mental illness.

more exercise may prevent myopia #health #eyes

news.health/eyes/more exercise may prevent myopia:
7.3: 12.29: summary:
. this study is consistent with the theory that
myopia is related to high blood sugar
that is causing hypergrowth of the cornea;
but the study didn't prove the theory .

#med washed out vision

11.1: web.med/washed out vision:
summary:
. several eye disorders can give a symptom of
colors seem washed out;
my other vision problem (word being read disappear,
or am distracted from reading by eyes feel full)
seems to be helped by exercising my lens,
so it might be high-pressure glaucoma
since lens exercise may help massage the duct
that is there to release the pressure .

me/med/eye strain/lens exercise helped:
. rapidly alternate between looking at somthing near
and something far away .
. that can cause aggression or excitement too .

eye protection from UV light

12.27: web.med/eye protection from UV light:
ultraviolet radiation's effect on eyes:
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
is a leading cause of blindness in the western world.
. short wavelength radiation and the blue light
induce significant oxidative stress
to the retinal pigment epithelium.
Epidemiologic evidence makes an association
between severity of light exposure and AMD,
although causality has not been esblished
[ in fact the major cause of AMD is
the same set of situations that are causing
circulation disorders .]
The cornea and the lens block a major portion of
the ultraviolet (UV) radiation from reaching the retina
(wavelengths of less than 295 nanometers).

so, first on the list of protectives is eyewear:

The origin of Eagle Eyes® began at
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
to protect eyesight from solar radiation light.
. eagles have unique oil droplets in their eyes
that selectively filter out harmful radiation
and permit only specific wavelengths of light;
NASA replicated this into a lens technology
that, in turn, resulted in Eagle Eyes® eyewear.

. here are the wrap-arounds of various shades .

liver-glucose reducer lowers inflammation

5.14: news.health/liver-glucose reducer lowers inflammation:

"Metformin's strong anti-inflammatory properties
by activating an enzyme called AMPK,
which in turn damps down
the activity of the protein NF-kappa B.
The inhibition of that suppresses the production of
inflammatory signaling molecules
-- cytokines and chemokines --
needed to initiate and sustain uveitis.
Uveitis causes 10 to 15 % of all blindness in the USA
and even higher proportions of blindness globally.
The only conventional treatment is steroid therapy,
which has serious side effects and cannot be used long-term.

#thyroid optimization may save bone,vision #health

11.2 ..11.4: health/thyroid/
lifestyle choices that improve function:
summary:
low thyroid is very common:
. age-related hypo-thyroid
-- ie "(normal) TSH levels --
is as common as the many modern diseases,
and that may be more than a coincidence .
. there are ties to bone loss,
atrial fibrillation,
and blindness due to glaucoma
(you may be at increased risk if you are
nearsighted or hypo-thyroid).

. I will first explain how common low thyroid is,
and how it can be mistaken for hyper-thyroid
-- that's important to realize because
some are avoiding the iodine they need
under the assumption that they are hyper-thyroid
when, in fact,
both the low and high thyroid extremes
can have the same symptoms
of a rapid or erratic heart .

. the unprecedented rate of obesity starting in the 1980's
may be due to the combination of
not only replacing sugar with high-fructose corn syrup,
but also replacing the iodine in bakery goods
with bromides that actually inactivate
what little iodine you might already be getting !

lifestyle choices for blindness prevention

• 
  
  • intro
    
    • # high-fiber vs high-carb':
    • # good fat vs bad fat:
    • # moderate fat vs high or low fat:
    • # peak resistance training
  • foods that prevent macular degeneration:
    
    • sources of zeaxanthin:
    • == high-density zeaxanthin sources ==
    • == moderate-density zeaxanthin sources ==
    • == low-zeaxanthins relative to lutein ==
    • ### top lutein+zeaxanthin foods at usda database: ###
    • ### Lutein content of best sources ##
    • #### lycopene content of best sources ####
  • supp's that may reduce blindness risk
  • medications that increase blindness risk
    
    • pills vs eyes 2008:
      
      • Angle-closure glaucoma:
      • Cataracts
      • Retinal Abnormalities
      • Optic Nerve Diseases
    • sleeping aids
    • anti-aggressives

intro

6.21: intro:
. 48% of world blindness is attributed to
Age-related cataract;
. the term "(aging) actually refers to
an increasing amount of metabolic disorder
including diabetes, hypertension, and hypothyroidism .
extent of cataract formation by age range:
42% affected by ages of 52 to 64,
60% affected by ages 65 and 74,
91% affected by ages 75 and 85 .

[. macular degeneration is the leading cause of
age-related blindness .
. there are some dietary factors that may prevent this;
but the most important contributary causes
are the same as for cataracts:
one's lifestyle or medication choices
can affect the rate of aging .
. for example,
at the same time there were cataracts [6.29:
within my circle of friends ]
there was also use of Dalmane,
a benzodiazepine sleeping medication
that is known to increase the likelihood of cataract .
. children and other behaviors are increasingly being
medicated with tranquilizers and other psychotropics
that contribute to the big 3 metabolic disorders:
diabetes, hypertension, and hypothyroidism .

. risk factors are [6.29:
proportional to one's lifetime dose,
and dose variations for ]
sunlight, smoking, alcohol, other medications .
. dietary protective factors
include:

# high-fiber vs high-carb':

[6.29: ie, high-carb diets are good only when
much of the carb is fiber,
and none of it has a high glycemic index .]

# good fat vs bad fat:

 [6.29:  mono'fats are good fats for energy;
other fats are essential for body maintenance;
use only low doses of fish-related poly'fats,
and even lower doses of non-fish poly'fats;
sat'fats cause carb'intolerance,
so they don't mix with a glycemic diet .]

# moderate fat vs high or low fat:

[6.29: mono'fats (olive oil, almonds, hazels)
are a safe source of energy;
but fats are a special source of
carcinogenic pollutants and mold toxins;
moreover,
low calorie is safer than high calorie .]

# peak resistance training

[6.29: short bursts of moving heavy things
can increase insulin sensitivity,
and reduce carb'intolerance .]

Ann Epidemiol. 1996 Jan; 6(1):41-6.

. this study indicates that diet
plays a considerable role in
the risk of [needing and being eligible for]
cataract extraction
in at least a certain Italian population,
with a protective action played by
some vegetables, fruit, calcium, folic acid,and vitamin E,
and an increased risk
associated with elevated salt and fat intake [6.29:
-- this could have been a measure of
where these Italians were getting their
extra doses of salt and fat:
the usual culprit is luncheon meat
-- known to promote diabetes by
mixing sugar with the meat .]
. a significant inverse trend in risk,
were found for intake of
meat (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.4 to 0.9),
cheese (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.5 to 1.0),
[implied a more low-carb' diet?
the atkins effect .
6.19: ie,
not necessarily an endorsement
of cheese ! ]
cruciferae (OR 0.5, 95% CI 0.3 to 0.8),
spinach (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.4 to 0.9),
tomatoes (OR 0.5, 95% CI 0.4 to 0.8),
peppers (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.4 to 1.1),
citrus fruit (OR 0.5, 95% CI 0.2 to 1.3),
and melon (OR 0.5, 95% CI 0.4 to 0.8).

. a significant increase in risk
was found for
the highest intake of
(compared to the lowest intake)
butter (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.2 to 6.4),
[6.29: apparently Italian cheese is
not a significant source of butter ? ]
total fat(OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.8),
[ie, sat'fats vs oils]
salt (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.4 to 4.0)
[luncheon meats vs fresh meats]

. a significant increase in risk
was found for consumption of
oil other than olive oil
[mono'fats vs poly'fats]
(OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.2).

Among micronutrients,
lower ORs for cataract extraction
(highest quintile of intake compared to the lowest)
were found for intake of
calcium (OR 0.5, 95% CI 0.3 to 0.8),
folic acid (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2 to 0.7),
and vitamin E (OR 0.5, 95% CI 0.3 to 1.0),
[this may have more to do with
the foods that provided these micronutrients]

. intakes of
methionine, retinol, beta-carotene,
and vitamins A, C, and D
were not associated with cataract risk .

foods that prevent macular degeneration:

6.20:
. being low on zeaxanthin or lutein
is associated with risk of amd
(age-related macular degeneration);
it's easy to get lutein
-- dark green leafy vegetables --
but zeaxanthin is a bit less common;
so this section has a list of
zeaxanthin-specific foods
sorted by density .
. some other carotenoids were included
for their anti-cancer importance .

. this research confirms previous reports
that the primary eyecare superfoods
are egg yolks for zeaxanthin
and dark green leafies for lutein .

. corn and sweet citrus are high in zeaxanthin
but not so relative to either
corn's glycemic and inflammation indices,
or citrus's fructose levels
(a source of liver-produced triglycerides).
--
. I noticed huge variations among 2 databases:
eg, the lab that gave percentages of zeaxanthins
differed wildly from percentages implied by
usda's nutrient density data;
so, consider this to be a very rough estimate
for where your eyecare diet should be .

sources of zeaxanthin:

. many texts give levels of carotenoids in foods;
here is a source that tells
what percentage of the carotenoids there are
for these famous varieties:
{zeaxanthins, lutein, lycopenes, beta-carotenes}
(as a percentage when counting by molecules,
not a percentage by weight):

Fruits and vegetables that are sources for lutein and zeaxanthin:
the macular pigment in human eyes
O. Sommerburg, J. Keunen, A. Bird, and F. J G M van Kuijk
Br J Ophthalmol. 1998 August; 82(8): 907–910.

todo:

see the articles that cited that one:
# elders respond postively to egg consumption
# controversial role of lutein and zeaxanthin
in protecting against age-related macular degeneration:

. most of the dark green leafy vegetables,
have 15-47% of their carotenoids as lutein,
but very little zeaxanthin (0-3%)

[6.20:
... not many were tested, however ...

. the reason dark green leafies may still
help to avoid macular degeneration
despite being short zeaxanthin,
is that this disease depends a lot on
metabolic disorder and clogged arteries
whereas dark green foods have a lot of
the magnesium from chlorophyll
that can support the insulin sensitivity
that prevents metabolic disorder;
and, they are also high in the
vitamin K that can hold calcium in bones
to prevent calcium-clogged arteries
(a major cause of irreversable circulation loss).

. this list is sorted by a food's
zeaxanthin density, which is a product of
both the ratio of zeaxanthin to other carotenoids,
and the total carotenoid density .
. even though corn appears to have
great values for zeaxanthins,
high-glycemic foods like corn
can bring down HDL; and ]

while most of the absorbed carotenoid
is carried in LDL,
53% of the (lutein, zeaxanthins) group
is carried by HDL .

[6.21:
. another source that conflicted with my first was:

Lutein and Zeaxanthin Scientific Review:
for instance, they claimed cooked spinach had
0.2 mg Zeaxanthin rather than 0.0000 .
. they gave a list of zeaxanthins per 100g servings,
which I have appearing like this:
[corn 0.5mg Z per 100g] -- with a Z added;
if the Z is not there, then it refers to
combined {zeaxanthins, lutein} amounts .]

== high-density zeaxanthin sources ==

ratio's of
zeaxanthins,
lutein,
beta-carotene,
and lycopenes(omitted if zero):
[plus amounts of (zeaxanthins, lutein) per serving]

35,54,0 Egg yolk [0.5 mg per 2 eggs (100g)][6.29:
^-- that number(35) mean 35% of the 0.5mg
is the rare zeaxanthins form ]
-- selenium 17.2 mcg (varies widely)

[Persimmons, Japanese, raw 0.49 Z per 100g]
[Spinach, raw 0.33 Z per 100g]
37,8,21 orange pepper [1.6mg Z per 100g]
2,27,11 brussel sprouts, [2.389mg per 155g]
3,36,12 green pepper [0.586 mg per 136 g]
5,47,5 zucchini squash [1.15mg per 100g of
... Squash, summer, zucchini, includes skin, boiled,]
3,27,0 scallions, [1.137mg per 100g of
. . . Onions, spring or scallions (tops and bulb).]
3,22,5 green beans, [0.64mg per 100g of
. . Beans, snap, green, raw, 0.44mg canned]
2,32,0,1 celery [0.494 mg per 150 g]
[Turnip greens, cooked 0.27 Z per 100g]
[Collard greens, cooked 0.27 Z per 100g]
[Lettuce. cos or romaine, raw 0.19 Z per 100g]
[Spinach, cooked 0.18 Z per 100g]
[Kale, cooked 0.17 Z per 100g]

== moderate-density zeaxanthin sources ==

ratio's of zeaxanthins, lutein, beta-carotene,
and lycopenes(omitted if zero):
[plus amounts of (zeaxanthins, lutein) per serving]

25,60,0 corn [0.19 mg per 28g --
. . a safe 100-colorie dose for this inflammatory grain]
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5687/2
[Tangerine, mandarin 0.14 Z per 100g]
20,15,8 orange juice [0.10mg per orange(86g)]
. 15,7,11,11 orange [0.17mg per peeled(131 g)]
. 6,6,48 nectarine [0.185mg per peeled(142g)]
18,17,48 honeydew melon [0.027 mg per 100g]
16,2,20,6 mango [0.023 mg per 100g]
10,43,16,5 red seedless grapes [0.072 mg per 100g of
. . . red or green seedless has ]
. 7,25,7 green grapes
. 4,33,6 red grapes [0.064mg per 100g of
. . Grapes, muscadine(has seeds).]
8,5,50 peach [0.089 mg per 98g]
4,38,4 cucumber [0.07mg per veg(301g)]

2,11,16,57 tomato juice (needs heat & oil)
0,6,12,82 tomato whole [0.08mg per 100g
. . but the lycopene is 9.66mg ]
1,19,17,13 apple(red delicious) [0.029mg per 100g of
. . . Apples, raw, with skin ]

== low-zeaxanthins relative to lutein ==

ratio's of lutein, beta-carotene,
and lycopenes(omitted if zero):
-- these are among the many examples of
high-lutein foods that have no zeaxanthins .
49,21 pumpkin
47,16,4 spinach
44,9 yellow squash
41,5 pea
37,0 butternut squash
22,27 brocolli
16,0 lettuce
12,0 yellow pepper
7,3 red pepper [0.05 mg per 100g]
2,55 carrots
1,87,3 cantaloupe

### top lutein+zeaxanthin foods at usda database: ###

. nutrients per food .
. foods rich in a given nutrient .
### Lutein + zeaxanthin ###
[. this data(pdf) was merged with the
zeaxanthin table (above) ]

### Lutein content of best sources ##

(extracted from a pdf)
Spinach, frozen, boiled, 130g 25.606 mg
Spinach, canned, 214 g 22.631 mg
-- Magnesium 87 mg per mg
-- Vitamin K (phylloquinone) mcg 493 per 100g
Kale, frozen, boiled, 130g 25.606 mg
Kale, boiled, 130 g 23.720 mg
-- Vitamin K (phylloquinone)      mcg 817 per 100g
-- Magnesium 18 mg per mg
Turnip greens, frozen, boiled, 164 g 19.541 mg
Collards, frozen, boiled, 170 g 18.527 mg
Collards, boiled, 190 g 14.619 mg
-- Vitamin K (phylloquinone)      mcg 440 per 100g
-- Magnesium 20 mg per mg
Turnip greens, boiled, 144 g 12.154 mg
Dandelion greens, boiled, 105g 9.616 mg
Mustard greens, boiled, 140g 8.347 mg
Squash, summer, boiled, 180 g 4.048mg
Peas, green, frozen, boiled, 360 g 3.840 mg
Peas, edible-podded, frozen, boiled, 160g 1.429 mg
Peas, edible-podded, boiled, 160 g 1.123 mg
Squash, winter, baked, 205g 2.901 mg
Beet greens, boiled, 144g 2.619mg
Pumpkin, boiled, 245 g 2.484 mg
Squash, summer, raw 113g 2.401 mg
Broccoli, frozen, boiled, 184g 2.015 mg
Broccoli, boiled, 156 g 1.685 mg
Broccoli, raw 88 g 1.235 mg
Lettuce, raw 1 head 163 g 1.993 mg
-- butterhead (includes boston and bibb types),
Lettuce, raw 1 head 539 g 1.493 mg
Lettuce, cos or romaine, 56 g 1.295 mg
-- iceberg (includes crisphead types),
Lettuce, green leaf, raw 56 g 0.969 mg
Asparagus, frozen, boiled, 180 g 1.112 mg
Carrots, boiled, 156 g 1.072 mg
Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion), boiled,  104 g 0.962 mg
Asparagus, boiled, 60 g 0.463 mg
Asparagus, canned, 72 g 0.454 mg
Pepper, sweet, red, raw 119 g 0.061 mg

#### lycopene content of best sources ####

Watermelon, raw 6.889 mg per 152 g
Tomatoes, red, ripe, canned, 6.641 mg per 240 g
Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, 4.631 mg per 180 g
Papayas, raw 2.559 mg per 140 g
grapefruit 1.745 mg per 123 g

supp's that may reduce blindness risk

(from macular degeneration and cataracts)

5 mg zeaxanthin,
10 mg lutein:
800 mg magnesium,
400 mg potassium
Lutein and zeaxanthin offer protect from both
age-related macular degeneration and cataracts .
. Carotenoids are fat-soluble,
and are therefore absorbed with oil;
eg, after steam-sterilizing the greens,
puree them with olive oil .
. leafy greens are a good source of
lutein, magnesium, and potassium;
esp'ly spinach . green = magnesium .
. supp's are economical .

0.5 ... 3.0 mg Melatonin at bedtime
400 mcg selenium
600 mg N-Acetyl-Cysteine or eggs
210 .. 420 mg R-ala (alpha lipoic acid)

. melatonin stimulates glutathione production;
it is a potent inhibitor of cataracts;
proven in animal models .
Melatonin production slows after age 40,
but by age 60 virtually no melatonin is produced
at a time when most cataracts develop.
. 3 mg of mel at bedtime in elders with AMD
prevented further vision loss (Yi 2005).

[6.21:
. melatonin needs selenium and cysteine to work;
egg yolk has 250mg of cysteine;
but it's not as stable as N-acetyl-cysteine;
so, it's recommended it be taken with vit'C,
and other anti-oxidants found in a normal diet,
along with the r-ala .]

. ala prevents cataract by
protecting glutathione synthesis.
. in animal models it reduced cataract by 40%
and protected the lens from losing
vitamins C, E, and glutathione.
. vitamin C is a first-line neutralizer of radical;
it is then recycled by glutathione .

. Selenium works with alpha-lipoic acid
to increase cellular concentrations of glutathione,
. Low plasma levels of vitamin E
increase the risk of lens opacities.

[. the Vitamin Book said vit'E's job was

facilitating the transport of selenium;
there have been contradictory results from
trying to megadose vit'E as an anti-oxidant .]

. cysteine is a component of glutathione;
A combination of diallyl disulfide
(a major organosulfide in garlic oil)
and N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC)
completely prevented cataract development in animals.

50 .. 150 mg riboflavin:

Riboflavin reduces oxidized glutathione;
it is a precursor FADH
(reduced flavin adenine dinucleotide)
which is used by glutathione reductase,
to reduce and activate glutathione;
it makes glutathione available for the enzyme
glutathione-selenium peroxidase,
which neutralizes peroxide free radicals .

250 mg Inositol nicotinate:

. occurs in high concentrations in the lens.
Inositol quenches reactive oxygen .

2.5 mg folic acid
50 mg B6 [6.29: that's a high dose; addicting?]
1 mg B12

. B-6 prevents free-radicals by
properly metabolizing homocysteine
and is required for absorption of vitamin B12,
and proper synthesis of nucleic acids.
. . low levels of the B vitamins that are
critical to the metabolism of homocysteine),
will result in elevated levels of homocysteine,
which is a risk factor for both AMD and
other cardiovascular diseases .
. supplementing with folic acid, B6, and B12
can significantly reduce the risk of AMD
in adults with high homocysteine (Christen 2009).

100-200 mg CoQ10;
500mg acetyl-L-carnitine
+ 500mg arginine base
[= acetyl-L-carnitine arginate? 6.29:
-- perhaps a patents issue]:

. Mitochondrial dysfunction can result in
reactive oxygen species
linked to both cataracts
and macular degeneration;
a combination of CoQ10, acetyl-L-carnitine,
and proper diet,
improved mitochondrial function .
Acetyl-L-carnitine can reduce cataract risk
by acetylating potential glycation sites
that would otherwise cloud lens crystallins .

DHEA

. abnormally low in patients with AMD (Bucolo 2005).
DHEA also has been shown to protect the eyes against
oxidative damage (Tamer 2007).

[6.21:
. do not take this hormone orally;
it can be very effective nasally
in micronized form 5..10mg;
or blenderize dhea into a progesterone cream .
. exercise can raise dhea,
as can lowering cortisol .

[6.29: my cortisol-lowering diet module is this:]
a low carb diet; and,
arginine+lysine several times:
1 tsp 3 times per day;
and 6tsp at night .]

120 mg Gingko biloba
100 mg bilberry

Gingko biloba has anti-cataract potential;
Bilberry, a proanthocyanidin,
Gingko biloba and bilberry may restore
microcapillary circulation.
. bilberry contains Anthocyanidins
and Cyanidin-3-Glucoside (C3G);
. anthocyanidins may prevent leakage from capillaries,
prevalent in neovascular AMD.
Studies also show that bilberry increases
oxidative stress defense mechanisms in the eyes (Milbury 2007).
C3G fights inflammation by
inhibiting inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS),
C3G increases cytokine adiponectin
[. helps burn energy instead of letting it
raise sugar levels and increase fat .]
C3G may be protect against Alzheimer’s
[. that wouldn't be surprising,
if it does reduce sugar spiking .]
C3G helps to induce apoptosis
in a number of human cancer lines .
Bioflavonoids are powerful inhibitors of
the enzyme aldose reductase.
If aldose reductase activity falls,
sorbitol is not synthesized.
This reduces the accumulation of
water in the lens.
The bioflavonoids quercetin, myrcetin,
and kaempferol (from limes)
specifically inhibit diabetic cataracts.
Gingko is a widely used flavonoid that
maintains microcirculation to the eye
and inhibits free radicals.

500-1000 mg carnosine

inhibits formation of AGEs
(advanced glycation end products)

Eye drops containing N-acetyl-L-carnosine

can delay vision senescence in humans:
effective in 100% of primary senile cataract cases
and 80% of mature senile cataract cases.
N-acetyl-L-carnosine eye drops are approved for
human use in Russia for the treatment of many eye diseases.
Brite Eyes II contains
1% N-acetyl-L-carnosine
L-Carnosine is an anti-glycation agent;
Topically applied N-acetyl-carnosine
prevented light-induced DNA strand breaks
and repaired damaged DNA strands (Specht 2000),
and has improved visual acuity,
glare and lens opacification
in animals and humans with advanced cataracts
(Williams 2006, Babizhayez 2009).

Phil Micans PharmB, Vice President, IAS Group:
Dr. Mark Babizhayev:

. the application of L-carnosine for the treatment of
human cataracts is misleading.
This is because L-carnosine readily becomes a substrate for
the activity of natural peptidases (i.e. carnosinase)
in the aqueous humor.
So much so, that there is
no sign of L-carnosine in the aqueous humor
within 15 minutes after instillation.
Furthermore,
I consider that L-carnosine eye-drops
may even be harmful for eyes because
it gradually releases histamine,
which, located as it would be
in the presence of the eye-lens
is a very toxic agent.
However, NAC eye-drops are resistant to
hydrolysis with natural carnosinase.
Therefore, NAC is the only currently known agent
which reverses and prevents human cataracts.

update understanding of cataract:
NewsRx.com 01-29-10/Study data from M.A. Babizhayev and colleagues

"The antioxidant activity of L-carnosine (beta-alanyl-L-histidine,
bioactivated in ocular tissues)
versus N-acetylcarnosine (N-acetyl-beta-alanyl-L-histidine,
ocular-targeted small dipeptide molecules)
was studied in aqueous solution
and in a lipid environment,
employing liposomes as a model of lipid membranes.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were generated by an
iron/ascorbate promoter system for induction of lipid peroxidation (LPO),"
investigators in Russia report .

"L-carnosine, which is stabilized from enzymatic hydrolysis,
operates as a universal aldehyde and ROS scavenger
in both aqueous and lipid environments
and is effective at preventing ROS-induced damage
to biomolecules.
Second-generation carnosine analogs bearing the
histidyl-hydrazide moiety
were synthesized and tested versus L-camosine
for their ability to reverse the glycation process,
also known as the Maillard reaction,
and reverse the stable intermolecular cross-links,
monitored in the glucose-ethylamine Schiff base model,
ultimately resulting in the formation of
the advanced glycation end products (AGES)
from nonenzymatic glycation,
accumulating in numerous body tissues and fluids.
The obtained data demonstrate the transglycation properties
of the ophthalmically stabilized L-camosine
and L-carnosine histidyl-hydrazide derivatives tested
and can be used to decrease or predict the occurrence of
long-term complications of AGE formation
and improve therapeutically the quality of vision
and length of life for diabetes mellitus patients
and survivors with early aging.
Scientists at Innovative Vision Products, Inc. (IVP),
developed lubricant eyedrops designed as a
sustained-release 1% N-acetylcarnosine prodrug of L-camosine.
The eyedrops contain a mucoadhesive cellulose-based compound
combined with corneal absorption promoters
and glycerine in a drug-delivery system.
Anti-aging therapeutics with the
eyedrop formula including N-acetylcarnosine
showed efficacy in the nonsurgical treatment of
age-related cataracts for enrolled participants
in the prospective, randomized, double-masked,
placebo-controlled crossover clinical trial
after controlling for age, gender, and daily activities.
In a cohort in excess of 50,500 various patients
seeking cutting-edge medical care,
the N-acetylcamosine topical eyedrops target therapy
was demonstrated to have significant efficacy, safety,
and good tolerability for the prevention and treatment of
visual impairment in this older population
with relatively stable patterns of causes
for blindness and visual impairment.
Overall, accumulated study data demonstrate that
the IVP-designed new vision-saving drugs,
including N-acetylcarnosine eyedrops,
promote health vision and prevent vision disability from
senile cataracts, primary open-angle glaucoma,
age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy,
and aging.
N-acetylcarnosine eyedrop therapy is the crown jewel of the
anti-aging medical movement
and revolutionizes early detection, treatment,
and rejuvenation of aging-related eye-disabling disorders,"

wrote M.A. Babizhayev and colleagues.

Babizhayev and colleagues published their study in
American Journal of Therapeutics
(
N-Acetylcarnosine Lubricant Eyedrops
Possess All-In-One Universal Antioxidant Protective Effects
of L-Carnosine in Aqueous and Lipid Membrane Environments,
Aldehyde Scavenging, and Transglycation Activities
Inherent to Cataracts:
A Clinical Study of. American Journal of Therapeutics,
UNKNOWN DATE;16(6):517-533
).
For additional information, contact
M.A. Babizhayev, Innovat Vis Prod Inc.,
Moscow Division, Ivanovskaya 20, Suite 74, Moscow 127434, Russia.
The publisher of the American Journal of Therapeutics
can be contacted at: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins,
530 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106-3621, USA.

medications that increase blindness risk

6.22:

pills vs eyes 2008:

Open-angle glaucoma
((a bunch of corticosteroids))

Angle-closure glaucoma:

--[ what do these drugs have in common with eph? ]
[any anticholinergic may precipitate narrow-angle glaucoma]
cimetidine     TAGAMET
ephedrine   PRIMATENE, eph
epinephrine     ADRENALINE, PRIMATENE MIST
fluoxetine     PROZAC, SERAFEM
fluvoxamine     LUVOX
ipratropium     ATROVENT
paroxetine     PAXIL, PEXEVA
ranitidine     ZANTAC
sulfamethoxazole (with trimethoprim)     BACTRIM, COTRIM, SEPTRA
sulfisoxazole     GANTRISIN
topiramate     TOPAMAX
venlafaxine     EFFEXOR, EFFEXOR XR

Cataracts

betamethasone     ALPHATREX, DIPROLENE, DIPROSONE
busulfan     BUSULFEX, MYLERAN
chlorpromazine     THORAZINE
desoximetasone     TOPICORT
dexamethasone     DECADRON, HEXADROL, MYMETHASONE
fluocinolone     SYNALAR
fluocinonide     LIDEX-E, LIDEX
hydrocortisone (oral)     CORTEF, HYDROCORTONE
hydrocortisone (topical)     ALA-CORT, HI-COR, HYTONE, NEACLEAR LIQUID OXYGEN SCAR, PENECORT, SYNACORT
methylprednisolone     MEDROL
prednisolone     PRELONE
prednisone     DELTASONE
thioridazine     MELLARIL
triamcinolone (injectable)    
triamcinolone (topical)     ARISTOCORT, KENALOG, TRIACET, TRIDERM

Retinal Abnormalities

acitretin     SORITANE
chloroquine     ARALEN
chlorpromazine     THORAZINE
etretinate     TEGISON
hydroxychloroquine     PLAQUENIL
isotretinoin     ACCUTANE
tamoxifen     NOLVADEX
thioridazine     MELLARIL
tretinoin     RENOVA, RETIN-A
vitamin A (retinol)     AQUASOL A

Optic Nerve Diseases

amiodarone     CORDARONE, PACERONE
ethambutol    
linezolid     ZYVOX
sildenafil     VIAGRA
tadalafil     CIALIS
vardenafil     LEVITRA

sleeping aids

dalmane is a benzodiazepine

dalmane cataracts heavily affect females:
. of the few people developing Cataracts while on Dalmane
most were women, and 21% were
age 20..30 -- very early for cataracts .
[6.29:
. keep in mind that nothing here is proven;
because, it's epidemiology,
not data from randomized studies .
-- this reminds that the pharm'industry
was once notorious for allowing women to be users,
but not including women in their pre-market trials;
dalmane could be one of these?
had they taken women's chemistry into account,
there may have been a different presentation of it ? ]

anti-aggressives

benzodiazepines are related to anti-aggressives:

Epidemiological reviews have suggested
a possible link between cataract occurrence
and other psychotropic medications,
including benzodiazepines .
. long-term use of corticosteroids, phenothiazines,
certain other antipsychotic drugs,
some antineoplastic agents, and amiodarone
may increase cataract incidence.

. in the mid-1960s,
a decade after the marketing of phenothiazines,
drug-related ocular changes were reported in
patients who had been receiving years of
high-dose antipsychotic medication;
chlorpromazine was the primary offender.

Research also associated cataract occurrence with
other phenothiazines;
thioridazine, thiothixene,
trifluoperazine, levomepromazine,
and perphenazine are frequently cited examples.

A 1999 study of cataract occurrence
compared schizophrenic patients (26%)
with the general population (<1%).
. in addition to pharmaceutical exposures
schiz'ics often have additional risk factors:
smoking and poor dietary habits,
along with emotion-based metabolic disorders
(high cortisol, high insulin,
and blood sugar instabilities) .
[6.21:
. some of the new atypicals are clearly
increasing carb' intolerance,
and thus any cataracts blamed on sugar instabilities
must again point the blame at these meds .]

Epidemiological reviews have suggested
a possible link between cataract occurrence
and other psychotropic medications,
including benzodiazepines
and certain antidepressants
of the tricyclic and mao inhibitor classes .

ref# Exposure to phenothiazine drugs and risk of cataract.
Arch Ophthalmol. 1991;109(2):256-260.

Clinical reports have indicated an increased risk of
ocular opacities in users of phenothiazine drugs,
and some recent epidemiologic studies have found
an association between cataract and a
history of tranquilizer use.
To examine the effects of major tranquilizers
(phenothiazines and haloperidol)
on the risk of cataract extraction,
while controlling for suspected risk factors
such as diabetes and steroid use,
a matched cohort study was performed .
The use of either antipsychotic
or other phenothiazine drugs
increased the risk of cataract extraction
by roughly 3.5 times
in those who were both current users
and were exposed some time in the
2 to 5 years prior to their extraction.
Risk was also increased in individuals with
prior use of
antidiabetic agents,
systemic steroids,
and benzodiazepines.

ref# Sunlight and other risk factors for cataracts:
an epidemiologic study.
American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 78, Issue 11 1459-1462

. relation between individual exposure to sunlight
and the risk of cataracts.
Sunlight exposure was very slightly related to
all types of opacities combined.
Although the numbers of cases with
each type of opacity was small,
the risk of cataracts was slightly increased
in medium and high exposure categories
for persons having cortical or
posterior subcapsular opacities only,
but not nuclear sclerotic changes.
Persons with dark brown or hazel eyes
are at increased risk.
An unexpected finding was that
persons who reported using tranquilizers
for six months were at increased risk.

renewed interest in issue with anti-aggressives

. recent questions about quetiapine (seroquel)
as a possible cataract inducer
have increased the current interest in this issue
across the antipsychotic pharmacotherapy spectrum.

. photosensitizing agents
like chlorpromazine and its metabolites
denature proteins,
which become opacified when exposed to sunlight
and are deposited in the lens, cornea, and skin.
Melanin is also considered a probable cause
of lens discoloration
because it traps free radicals produced by
chlorpromazine.
Melanin and chlorpromazine
have a strong bonding affinity.
When chlorpromazine interacts with
ultraviolet-B light,
it produces purple or bluish colored
free-radical metabolites.
This phototoxic reaction creates the
cataract cellular changes.

-- agingeye.net's summary:
Thorazine has been shown to be associated with
pigmented corneal deposits
and anterior capsular cataracts.
Pigmentary retinopathy is usually associated with
a much higher dose (>2400 mg/d).
Pigment deposition on the cornea and lens
appears to be dose related and is usually irreversible.
Chlorpromazine-induced anterior cataracts
do not normally extend to the rest of the lens
even when patients continue taking chlorpromazine.
They usually enjoy good vision for a long period
despite a dense cataract at the pupillary region.
Thioridazine (Mellaril)

has also been reported to induce
lenticular changes unrelated to pigmentary retinopathy.
[Siddall J:
Ocular complications related to phenothiazines.
Dis Nerv Syst 1968; 29:10-13]
However, contrary reports have indicated
no evidence of lens opacity
in patients taking this drug.
[Barnes G, Cameron M:
Skin and eye changes with chlorpromazine therapy.
Med J Aust 1966; 1:478-481]
the risk of cataract occurrence remains unclear.

[6.29:
it's mainly known for retinopathy:
(Thioridazine can remain bound to melanin
in the retinal pigment epithelial cells
for many years with progressive visual loss
despite discontinuation of their use.)]
Ziprasidone (Geodon)

Cataract occurrence was observed as an infrequent finding
during screening for adverse events
before ziprasidone was approved for clinical use.
[Geodon, in Physicians' Desk Reference, 56th ed.
Montvale, NJ, Medical Economics Co, 2002, pp 2688-2692]
However, there is no known causal connection
between this drug and lenticular opacities.

6.22:
Claudio Cepeda`Psychotic symptoms in children and adolescents

. cataracts from chlorpromazine, thioridazine, and perphenazine
seem to be more frequent in young schiz'ic's
with rates in 22 ... 26%;
the young schiz'ics have an 82%
overall ocular pathology rate .
. these numbers seemed consistent with
smoking and diabetic effects
and there are multiple sources of diabetes
in most schiz'ics:
chronic stress, poor sleep, and bad diet .
. thioridazine > 800 mg results in
irreversible retinal pigmentation
which can result in blindness .

Handbook of Psychiatric Drug Therapy
 By Lawrence A. Labbate,

[. among the antipersonell drugs
-- anti-psychotics, anti-aggressives --
all the highly sedating ones
{ thioridazine
, chlorpromazine
, quetiapine
} are suspected of causing cataracts;
is this true also for any of the
moderately sedating: ?
{ fluphenazine
, trifluoperazine
, loxapine
, molindone
} ]

. any anticholinergic may precipitate
narrow-angle glaucoma;
this happens less with the higher-potency 1st gen's,
and by avoiding co.use of antiparkinson drugs,
most of which are anticholinergics
(another class of antiparkinson drugs
is the dopamine releaser, eg: amantadine).
. thioridazine has potent anticholinergic effects .

. the antipsychotics best known for
not causing weight gain (abilify, geodon)
also may cause insomnia that leads to
co.use of benzodiazepines or trazodone;
benzodiazepines are anticholinergic .

[trazodone is weakly anticholinergic
but used cautiously on elders who have
glaucoma, especially angle-closure .]

. non-sedating antipsychotics are also
the most likely among
later generation antipsychotics to cause
akathisia (6.29:
that is the feeling of
getting sick from having to sit still;
but moving around doesn't really help
because the lack of stimulation
has to do with the way certain meds
can affect your neuro-hormones .
people with natural akathisia
are said to have attention deficit disorder,
and the cure is amphetamines;
generally the opposite of anti-dopaminergics)
. akathisia is more likely in
the higher-powered 1st-gen's
(they have less anticholinergic properties);
so they may be co.used with
sedatives:
# beta-adrenergic blockers
(propranolol or nadolol);
# or rarely a benzodiazepine or clonidine .

. quetiapine induces cataracts in animals
so the product label susggests slit-lamp exam's;
ophthalmologic studies find no evidence
supporting regular eye exam's;
however, since schiz'ics have
other risk factors for cataracts,
a referral to an ophthalmologist
for an eye exam
can be part of routine medical care

[6.29:
. but that shouldn't be expected;
not in tightly managed hmo's, right? ]

[. in the section on endocrine side effects
there's no mention of effects on thyroid;
of course,
there's no mention of insulin either,
but there's a whole section reserved for
"(weight gain),
and that's all with a chapter titled:
"(metabolic monitoring for 2nd-gen antipsychotics) !
...
. plus, what do you say about something like dhea,
after your profession has publically said
dhea seems to have no function ? ]

. diabetic ketoacidosis remains a rare possiblity
for all these antipsychotics .

. among the new anti-aggressives,
ziprasidone and aripiprazole cause
the least weight gain,

[ziprasidone is not a sedative;
if you're used to sedatives,
it can cause eno' anxiety to inhibit appetite .]

. all schiz'ics on 2nd-generation antipsychotics
should be monitored at least twice yearly
for glucose abnormalities
and lipid profile .

[is ziprasidone 2nd generation?
it specifically prefaced the call for
diabetes monitoring
with the assertion that ziprasidone
was causing no glucose abnormalities .
6.29:
. yea, but geodon's anx might increase
carb intolerance?
or they could be saying that
one may as well operate as if
geodon is not being used,
because they don't think highly of it
(they mention the profession was finding out
the dose needed to suppress aggression
is considerably higher than documented
and the new dose and rate of attack
could precipitate a cardiac event .]

se-methylselenocysteine preventing cancer

Se-methylselenocysteine -- at iherb and amazon--
is a uniquely non-toxic form of selenium,
the essential mineral;
I've routinely taken 20doses a day
-- that's 4mg*... (that would be too toxic in other forms).
. here are more references to articles about
how it prevents cancer, and maybe old-age blindness
(this will be added to my selenium knol).

12.12: web.health/se/se-methylselenocysteine:
TRAIL (TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand)
International Journal of Oncology May 2009 Volume 34 Number 5

. Se-MSC rapidly and specifically down-regulates
expression of the Bcl-2 at transcriptional level.
The forced expression of Bcl-2
attenuated Se-MSC plus TRAIL-mediated apoptosis,
suggesting that Se-MSC's reduction of Bcl-2 expression
is critical to the increased sensitivity
to TRAIL in renal cancer cells.
In addition, we demonstrate that the synergistic effects
of Se-MSC and TRAIL
result from the activation of the
caspase-dependent pathways.
Co-administration of HA14-1,
a small molecule Bcl-2 inhibitor
and TRAIL increased apoptosis in Caki cells.
Taken together, Se-MSC-mediated down-regulation of Bcl-2
is able to sensitize Caki cells for
TRAIL-induced apoptosis.

Programmed Cell Death

Programmed cell death (PCD), or apoptosis,
can be triggered by a wide range of stimuli,
including cell surface receptors like Fas
or tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1).
It constitutes a system for the removal of
unnecessary, aged, or damaged cells
. the relative abundance of
proapoptotic and antiapoptotic proteins
determines the susceptibility of the cell
to programmed death.

The proapoptotic proteins Bax, Bad, Bid, Bik, and Bim
contain an a-helical BH3 death domain
that fits the hydrophobic BH3 binding pocket
on the antiapoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL,
forming heterodimers that block
the survival-promoting activity of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL.

. things that result in more pro-apopt's
include: growth factor withdrawal
, genotoxic insult
, uv irradiation,
-- this reminds that chronically high
insulin (a growth factor)
can reduce one of your own sources of pro-apopt's .

The proapoptotic proteins act at
the surface of the mitochondrial membrane
to decrease the mitochondrial transmembrane potential
and promote leakage of cytochrome c.
In the presence of dATP,
cytochrome c complexes with and activates Apaf-1.
Activated Apaf-1 binds to downstream caspases,
such as pro-caspase-9,
and processes them into
proteolytically active forms.
This begins a caspase cascade
resulting in apoptosis.

Smac/Diablo is released from the mitochondria
and blocks IAP proteins that normally interact with
caspase-9 to inhibit its conversion to
the apoptosis-effecting caspases-{3, 6, 7}

The graphic shows the conserved apoptotic pathway
in the organism C. elegans .
CED-3 encodes a caspase whose function is facilitated by CED-4,
which is highly similar to Apaf-1.
CED-4 function is blocked by CED-9,
which protects cells against apoptosis
and is similar to the human antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2.
CED-9 activity is inhibited by EGL-1,
which is similar to the proapoptotic Bcl-2 family members.

Se-methylselenocysteine inhibits
phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity
Breast Cancer Res (2005) 7: R699-707

Se-methylselenocysteine (MSC),
a naturally occurring selenium compound,
is a promising chemopreventive agent
against in vivo and in vitro models of
carcinogen-induced mouse and rat mammary tumorigenesis.
We have demonstrated previously that MSC
induces apoptosis after a cell growth arrest in S phase
in a mouse mammary epithelial tumor cell model (TM6 cells) in vitro.
The present study was designed to examine the involvement of
the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) pathway
in TM6 tumor model in vitro after treatment with MSC.
RESULTS: PI3-K activity was inhibited by MSC
followed by dephosphorylation of Akt.
The phosphorylation of p38 MAPK was also downregulated
after these cells were treated with MSC.
In parallel experiments MSC inhibited the
Raf-MEK-ERK signaling pathway.
CONCLUSION:
These studies suggest that MSC blocks
multiple signaling pathways
in mouse mammary tumor cells.
MSC inhibits cell growth by inhibiting the activity of PI3-K
and its downstream effector molecules
in mouse mammary tumor cells in vitro.

Se-methylselenocysteine (MSC) chemically synthesized:
. [these 2 ref's were given]:
# SYNTHESIS OF [TRIMETHYLSELENONIUM-SE-75 IODIDE
FROM [SELENOCYSTINE-SE-75]
Source: ANALYTICAL BIOCHEMISTRY Volume: 137 Issue: 1 Pages: 205-209
Published: 1984 Reprint Address: FOSTER, SJ (reprint author),
UNIV WISCONSIN, DEPT NUTR SCI, MADISON, WI 53706 USA
ISSN: 0003-2697
# Chemical Form of Se,
Critical Metabolites, and Cancer Prevention:

Methylated selenides are prominent metabolitesat the dietary levels
used for obtaining anticarcinogenic effects with selenium.
The present study reports the chemopreventive activities
of 2 novel selenium compounds,
Se-methylselenocysteine and
dimethyl selenoxide,
Other treatment groups were supplemented with either
selenite or selenocystine for comparative purposes.
Results of the carcinogenesis experiments showed that
the relative efficacy with the four compounds was
Se-methylselenocysteine > selenite
> selenocystine > dimethyl selenoxide.
In correlating the chemical form
and metabolism of these selenium compounds
with their anticarcinogenic activity,
it is concluded that:
(a) selenium compounds that are able to generate
a steady stream of methylated metabolites,
particularly the monomethylated species,
are likely to have good chemopreventive potential;
(b) anticarcinogenic activity is lower for selenoamino acids,
such as selenocysteine following conversion from selenocystine,
which have an escape mechanism via
random, nonstoichiometric incorporation into proteins;
(c) forms of selenium, as exemplified by
dimethyl selenoxide,
which are metabolized rapidly and quantitatively
to dimethyl selenide and trimethylselenonium
and excreted,
are likely to be poor choices.
We also undertook a separate bioavailability study
using
Se-methylselenocysteine
, dimethyl selenoxide
, and trimethylselenonium
as the starting compounds for delivering selenium with
one, two, or three methyl groups,
and measured the ability of these compounds to restore
glutathione peroxidase activity in selenium-depleted animals.
All three compounds were able to
fully replete this enzyme,
although with a wide range of efficiency
(Se-methylselenocysteine >
dimethyl selenoxide > trimethylselenonium),
suggesting that complete demethylation
to inorganic selenium
is a normal process of selenium metabolism.
However, the degree to which this occurs
under chemoprevention conditions
would argue against the involvement of selenoproteins
in the anticarcinogenic action of these selenium compounds.

-- Sodium selenite was obtained from
Sigma Chemical Co. (St Louis, MO, USA).
--. wholesaler only:
but they do have Se-methylselenocysteine:
M6680 Sigma Se-(Methyl)selenocysteine hydrochloride 95% (TLC)

CAS Number: 863394-07-4
Empirical Formula (Hill Notation): C4H9NO2Se · HCl
Molecular Weight: 218.54
MDL number: MFCD03412450
PubChem Substance ID: 24278564
Description: Se-(Methyl)selenocysteine
. a chemopreventive agent that blocks
cell cycle progression and proliferation of
premalignant mammary lesions;
and, induces apoptosis of cancer cell lines in culture.
M6680-100MG /$ 164.50

Sigma-Aldrich Corp
St. Louis, MO, USA
Phone: 314-771-5765, Fax: 314-771-5757
E-mail: OC_DOM_HC@sial.com
Ordering & Customer Service
Phone: 800-325-3010

# Opening a Sigma-Aldrich Account
Accounts are generally established for a company or institution
rather than for individuals.
# Your business or institution must have an established
Customer Account with Sigma-Aldrich
to establish an account, and be approved for on-line ordering;
you will need to contact Support by phone.
You cannot establish an account on-line.

12.12: news.health/se/se-methylselenocysteine/Protease inhibitors:
Protease inhibitors suppress apoptotic features induced by MSC

These results confirm previous observations
that caspase-3 is crucial for inducing apoptosis by MSC treatment,
and further suggest the possibility that
an unknown member of the serine protease family
is involved in MSC-mediated apoptosis.
Our results strengthen the possibility that
MSC can be used to prevent or cure cancer
as either a chemopreventive or a chemotherapeutic agent.
Further studies are required to differentiate between
the chemopreventive effects on normal cells
and cancer cells in vitro.

12.26: health/se/age-related macular degeneration:

I lamented how mom's eyes still got cataracts
even with supplemental selenium
-- not because selenium is quack
but because of
stress-induced melatonin disfunction
not allowing the selenium to be useful;
and now hearing about macular degeneration
I found only one article saying it helps that
when I know it helps so much more
(anti-cancer, anti-heart disease)
because of the way it enables selenium!

. in answering the question:
Does melatonin have any bad side effects
in someone mom's age?

here's something that starts as a warning
"(replacement of melatonin just for being elderly
is not recommended)
but actually becomes a great encouragement:
Although elderly people often have difficulty sleeping
it's not from being elderly
but from being either emotionally ill
(making too many stress hormones
that suppress melatonin secretion)
or using drugs that suppress melatonin secretion
(e.g., aspirin, ibuprofen, beta-blockers).
Adults with insomnia, heart disease, or schizophrenia
routinely have lower melatonin levels.

I found this study ok'ing elderly women 64 to 80 years
(it measures cortisol and dhea!)

Effects of six months melatonin treatment
on sleep quality and "serum concentrations of
estradiol, cortisol, dehydroepinadrosteron sulfate,"
and somatomedin C in elderly women
M. Pawlikowski, M. Kolomecka, A. Wojtczak & M. Karasek:
October 9 , 2002 NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY LETTERS

CONCLUSIONS:
On the basis of this preliminary open study
it seems that melatonin administration
may be beneficial for elderly subjects.
A significant decrease of estradiol concentrations
was observed after 6 months of the melatonin treatment
in comparison to initial levels.
IGF-I was found to be slightly but significantly
increased after the 6 months melatonin therapy.
Cortisol levels did not change significantly,
during the melatonin treatment.
DHEAS concentrations increased
after melatonin therapy.
-- a higher DHEAS/cortisol ratio .
Melatonin treatment did not influence significantly
either the parameters of total blood count
or glucose and serum lipids levels.
OBJECTIVES:
The role of melatonin in aging
is still under debate.
Therefore, an open pilot study on the effects of melatonin
was performed in elderly women.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS:
The study was performed on 14 women (volunteers),
aged from 64 to 80 years (mean age 71±4.6 years).
Melatonin (2 mg daily at 19:00 h) was administered during 6 months.
Before and after melatonin treatment
the peripheral venous blood samples
were taken in the morning (approx. at 08:00 h)
after the overnight fast.
The total blood count, glucose, total cholesterol,
LDL, HDL, and triglycerides were estimated by
routine laboratory methods.
The serum concentrations of the following hormones
were determined: 17-beta-estradiol,
dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS),
cortisol, and somatomedin C (IGF-I).

12.26: web.health/se/macular degeneration/se's role:
links from i-care:

# Glutathione and its related enzyme precursor amino acids
(N-Acetyl-Cysteine, L-glycine and glutamine,
as well as selenium)
are protective against damage to
human retinal pigment epithelium cells,
and may help prevent retinal damage in AMD.
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 1993 Dec;34(13):3661-8
# Consumption of fruits and vegetables is protective against
progression of macular degeneration.
Cho, Seddon, et al Arch Ophthalmol. 2004 Jun;122(6):883-92
# In a clinical trial 60% of subjects with ARMD
or diabetic macular edema [...] So Med J, 1987.

[. interesting term: diabetic macular edema
had me convinced that metabolic disorder
-- caused from the use of carb's
by carb'intolerant elders --
was the primary reason elders were getting armd .
so another source of damage besides
not getting the se to the gluthione peroxidase
is not having the circulation for
getting the glutathione to the retina .]